Watch my new Brexit update vlog here. This week: the Costa amendment, Labour backing a second referendum, and the crucial upcoming Brexit votes later in the month.
This week on my weekly round-up: more action on London Overground services skipping stops in Hackney, the Public Accounts Committee’s latest report on the 2018 railways fiasco, and this week’s education debate.
If you’ve also been affected by London Overground skipping Hackney stops, please let me know by clicking here.
Read the full PAC report on ‘Rail Management and Timetabling’ here.
It is not good enough that London Overground services are still missing Hackney stops. I have already received a commitment from the Deputy Mayor for Transport, Heidi Alexander, that TfL will investigate this matter and apply pressure to the train operator (ARL) to prevent continued disruption and inconvenience. However today I’ve written to the Freedom of Information (FOI) team at TfL to find out exactly how often Hackney commuters miss out.
See the new round-up of my week in Hackney and Parliament. This week Gascoyne & Morningside community youth club visit Parliament, an update on the political events of this week, and the upcoming votes on Brexit.
On the 14th February the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport told the Public Accounts Committee that the first letter they received from the Irish company backing Seaborne Ferries was in January. The next day Chris Grayling said in response to my question that it was Christmas. They both can’t be right!
Another example of the whole Seaborne Ferries mess and how Theresa May is pushing us to the brink. We’re not ready for Brexit let alone crashing out without a deal.
See the new round-up of my week in Hackney and Parliament. This week action on London Overground skipping Hackney stops (please get in touch if you've experienced this), the PAC session on Seaborne and the Department for Transport (DfT) + Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs' (DEFRA) unpreparedness for a no-deal Brexit, and Thursday 14th February’s Brexit votes.
This week on my weekly round-up: temporary accommodation & housing in Hackney, the Public Accounts Committee’s latest report (local government spending), and my update on Brexit.
Read the full PAC report on Local Government Spending here.
As Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, I recently heard evidence of how it is local authorities who are still dealing with the housing issues created by this government’s handling of the Windrush scandal. This is not good enough.
See the full Urgent Question session here.
Colleges in Hackney and their staff deserve better funding and fair pay so they can continue to support local people and the national economy.
This week I met with students from New City College, which now runs Hackney Community College, to talk about the Love Our Colleges campaign. The campaign highlights the vital importance of Further Education Colleges.
Cuts to further education funding have led to courses closing and a significant reduction of free learning hours for adult learners. Further education colleges cannot afford any more funding cuts.
Over 40,000 Hackney residents are EU nationals.
I am concerned that following Brexit, the Home Office will not be able to manage the number of immigration applications from EU citizens, given that it is already overwhelmed.
I recently asked a question in question time to the Department for Exiting the European Union.
See the Minister’s response here.